


The Viking King

by Soaring_Keys



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Challenges, Choices, Dragons, F/M, Marriage, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 14:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8375653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soaring_Keys/pseuds/Soaring_Keys
Summary: Hope has begun to dwindle in Berk. The winter months have grown longer and the isle is barely habitable. Living in Berk has always been an occupational hazard, however, the villagers are angry and starving and it's up to Hiccup to ensure their survival. In a last ditch attempt to save the village Hiccup takes off to Scotland, but when there the situation is only more complicated. He has no other choice then to become the King of Dunbroch.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, y'all. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my fic. I can't promise to be a constant updater seeing as I am a college student, but I'll give it my all. Enjoy the story.

Chapter 1 - Well, if they like survival, they will

“Oh, how could this get so messed up?” Hiccup groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose while his eyebrows knitted together. He leaned back and balanced his upper body on his free hand while his legs dangled off the ledge he sat on.

A loud thump sounded from behind him before the large beast curled around him. Hiccup smiled slightly as he leaned into his best friend, releasing his reddened nose in order to grab hold of the tail perched on his lap.

“Hey, Bud.” He greeted as he rubbed the area where the tail met the fins. Out of habit, he looked the prosthetic side of the fin over, checking the surface for any rips or scratches and the metal for rust.

Finding nothing out of the ordinary on the prosthetic, he turned back towards his village. From where he sat, on one the highest cliffs of the island, he could see the entire village. From Gothi’s little hut to the infamous dragon academy with the proud village of Berk in the middle.

His heart swells when he thinks of their progress within so little years. The village had grown. Dragons and Vikings lived in harmony. Their armory was dusty from lack of use, but the feel of family has never been as strong. It was peaceful, beautiful…

If you didn’t count the lack of food. Berk was a small island, and its soil hadn’t been very good to begin with. With growth came a large amount of mouths to feed. Vikings ate heaping piles of meat daily, and a dragon even more so, that was the first resource to run out. Then came their soil problem. The soil no longer permitted plantation, and so any vegetables and plants they had grown themselves also perished. Thus, fish stunk up their cupboards, but it was the only food source they had.

And now Trader John couldn’t even take their route due to the harsh weather conditions. The people were forced to deal with meager rations of whatever food they could find.

Easy to say that the Vikings weren’t very happy and their roaring stomachs are proof enough for that.

Hiccup groaned loudly as he slung his head back, his mind stumped. “I’m chief and within a year I managed to starve an entire village. Only a Hiccup would do that.”

Toothless gurgled in amusement, his head butting against his hip. Without further thought Hiccup placed his hand onto the large reptile’s head and scratched at his scales, finding a sort of peace that came with his companion’s warmth.

“Gobber isn’t of much help; he’s as hungry as the rest of them. Now all he does is glare and mutter as he bangs away at iron down in the smithy.”

Toothless nuzzled into his palm, his tongue lolling out of the side of his gummy mouth. Hiccup smiled towards his best friend before redirecting his gaze. He saw Cloudjumper soaring through the air. His mother was no doubt taking a few hours to escape the village as well. She had lived isolated for so long, the brutality of Viking long since lost on her.

He was about to wave towards his mother when he saw a flicker of blue coming out of the academy.

Stormfly.

Astrid and his relationship had been strained recently. She supported him through thick and thin when he became chief, but with the starvation and over-population she’s been occupied with joining the hunters and fishers in an effort to bring in more food to feed the village. During meetings, he could feel her glowering at him. He knew she didn’t actually blame him for the mess, but she was a Viking. Anger ran through her veins like a viper and it is often poorly directed.

He bit his lip as he settled back into his draconian cocoon. There had to be something he could do to help the village. Anything.

“What would Dad have done?” Hiccup asked himself as he watched the clouds above. “We’re Vikings! It’s an occupational hazard.” He imitated. “It’s all always an occupational hazard. The dragons, the cold, the… food.”

Hiccup’s eyes sprang open as he suddenly sprung to his feet. His fist hitting the open palm of his other hand. Toothless grumbled as he swaggered to his feet, annoyed of his rider’s ignorance to his comfort.

“I know what to do.”

 

“You want to do what?!” Gobber shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls of the near-empty mess hall. Hiccup flinched slightly at the loud tone and turned his sights to the other participants in the room.

“What do you guys thinks?” Hiccup asked them, as he leaned over the map covered table, hands planted palm down on the charcoaled drawn map. “I think this is our only chance.”

“There are other ways.” Astrid said firmly, nodding as her eyes squinted slightly. She sat ramrod straight with her arms crossed on top of the table, stiff.

“Well, I agree with Hiccup. It’s plausible that they would help us and if Hiccup does it well, we could re-locate to a better environment.” Fishlegs intervened, his eyes bright at the sudden possibilities.

“Yeah, I don’t think that would be really smart. I mean Vikings don’t really like change all that much, ya know.” Ruffnut responded with a rise of her brow.

“Yeah! Like the other day, I was trying to rearrange the plants in my neighbor’s yard and she came at me with a really huge axe. She chased me all around the village!” Tuffnut unhelpfully declared as he nodded along with his own examples.

“Wasn’t that because you were pulling out all of her prized flowers?” Snotlout rebutted in boredom, again he was of no help.

“I was only trying to make them perfect.” Tuffnut crossed his arms of his chest and huffed as he rolled his eyes. “Vikings just don’t like change.”

“Well, if they like survival they will.” Hiccup quickly intervened. The group silenced as they took in the severity of their situation. He wasn’t a dumb chief and they knew that whatever decision he made wouldn’t disappoint them entirely. “I’m serious, guys; we’ve tried all we can. The people are getting tired of fish. The only meat we have are the milk yaks and chickens… which we don’t have very many of as it is.” He pointedly looked at Astrid as she huffed and looked away. “We need help. I’ll be leaving tonight. As chief it’s only right that I do all the negotiations.”

“But, Hiccup, they are royalty. They wouldn’t like it if you go without forewarning.” Valka cautioned. She walked around the table until she stood next to her son, she held out her hand expectantly. “Give me a piece of paper and a piece of charcoal. I’ll write to the Queen.”

Bewildered, Hiccup reached across his chest and popped open his parchment department, he pulled out a slip of yellowing paper and a newer piece of charcoal, dropping them into her open palm. She nodded before seating herself down and began writing.

“I knew the Queen a while back, though because of recent events we haven’t kept touch.” Valka explained as she continued, not bothering to look up from her work.

Hiccup looked over his mother’s shoulder and was surprised to another language was being scribbled onto the parchment. This may be harder than originally thought if they couldn’t really understand what he’s saying.

“Don’t worry, Hiccup. They speak English, a language I know you won’t have any problems with.” Valka reassured as she reached up and patted his cheek. “I’ll send this out with a messenger Terrible Terror tonight. They are quick little things, I’m sure it’d get there roughly 3 days before your own arrival.”

Hiccup nodded as he glanced down at his map.

“Then it’s settled, I’m leaving come morning with Toothless… Are there any other objections?”

“Ya really shouldn’t be going alone, Hiccup. It’d be better if you take some of us with ya, otherwise you’ll be an open target to them, especially since you’re so… well, you.” Gobber interjected while scratching his chin with his meaty hand. “You’re smart, boy, but they are as large as us, Vikings. It’d be best for ya if you had a little extra muscle.”

“We wouldn’t survive a long travel on a ship, Gobber, and we need to be quick. There aren’t many who are as quick or has the same endurance as Toothless.” Hiccup argued tiredly as he slumped back into his seat, rubbing his forehead.

“Then take Snotlout and Hookfang.” Gobber said, gesturing to the half-sleeping muscled boy, who jolted awake at his name.

“Wha- hmmm? Eh? Is it over? Can I go home now?” Snotlout slobbered as he tried to refocus on the situation at hand.

Gobber sighed as he whacked the back of the egotistical boy’s head. “Pay attention, you no-good yak.”

Snotlout pouted as he rubbed the back of his aching head, glaring towards the snickering twins on his other side. “What’d you want?”

“Really, Gobber?” Hiccup questioned in exasperation.

Gobber rolled his eyes as he leveled Hiccup with a knowing look. “I know it isn’t the best alternative, but look at the other options. Grump and Meatlug aren’t built to fly very far or very fast. Astrid needs to stay to hunt and fish with the others, her contribution is needed right now. Valka needs to help steady the dragons, especially if Toothless isn’t going ta be ‘ere. The twins would be more likely to start a war than to be of any ‘elp.”

“We resent that.” Tuffnut said with a raise of his finger.

“But that would be totally awesome.” Ruffnut cackled.

“I know, right. Like peace is getting boring, where’s the action?” The twins high fived one another as they continued with their sadistic discussion.

Gobber raised his eyebrow with a slight smirk towards his chief. “You see what I mean?”  
Hiccup sighed as he nodded. “Alright, alright… I’ll take Snotlout…”

“Wha? Take me where?”

“We’re leaving to Scotland at dawn. Be ready, take as much food and water you can carry and try to pack light. It’ll be a long flight and the dragons will get tired.” Hiccup informed the bewildered boy. His eyes hardened as he tried to convey the importance of their mission. “We need to leave as soon as possible. Rest and eat well. We’ll need all our strength.”

Snotlout gulped as he nodded towards his chief. He knew not to question the smaller man when it came to these sorts of emergencies. After all, it was his crazy ideas that saved their hides more than once. “Aye, Chief.”

“Alright then, be idiots.” Astrid aggressively stood up, kicking her chair back before marching down the great Mess hall and out into the frigid air.

 

“Fergus!” Queen Elinor called as she briskly walked down the hallway, stopping at their grand Dining room and quickly approached her eating husband. She swooped into the seat next to him as she held out the dirty, yellow parchment to his line of sight. “Fergus, look! It’s from Valka! I thooht she diied so loong agoo, but she’s fine and well.”

King Fergus stopped mid chew and turned to his wife, eyes wide as he quickly read the letter. “I neew it, I neew the wee lass couldn’t haf died. Tha’ woman was always too stroong to have diied in a simple dragon raid.” He said as he laughed loudly and swallowed down the food in his mouth with a large gulp of his goblet.

“Aye, I’m relieved. Tho, it says heere her son would be visiting us. She says it’s of outmoost importance. Apparently, things aren’t going well for their village.”

“But what of the clans? The challenges and festivities will be in full swing in 3 days! And Merida will be worse than an angry beear during the entire toournament. ‘ight now isn’t the best time for a visit.”

“I noo, but what else can we do, Fergus? They are already on their way. And this is Valka’s son… perhaps he too can participate in the tournament? He isn’t much older than Merida. From what I can remember he should be in his twenties.” Elinor said thoughtfully as her mind drifted back down memory lane to the few times she met with Valka and the several letters they exchanged through traders.

Fergus choked slightly on the piece of sausage he had shoved into his mouth. He pounded his meaty fist on his chest as he coughed up the piece. “H’elinor,” he said slowly as he finished coughing. “Elinor, if the lad is anything like Stoic he would be woorse than the sons from the clans!” Stoic gestured wildly, remembering the massive man that Stoic was. “And the lad’s a Viking. The clans won’t be as accepting as we.”

“Aye, I understand that, but what of the tournaments? If the lad wins fairly than no clan head can say anything about it.” She reasoned as she stood and straightened out her skirt. “Now, I must goo and prepare some rooms for our guests.”

Fergus sighed as he nodded. “Aye, do so, deer.”  
 


End file.
